The Guidance for Art and Design

Art & Design stimulates creativity and imagination. It provides visual, tactile and sensory experiences and a unique way of understanding and responding to the world. Pupils use colour, form, texture, pattern and different materials to communicate what they see, feel and think.
(QCA)

Guidance for teaching pupils gifted and talented in the arts.

This guidance was commissioned by the DfES, NESTA, DCMS amd Arts Council England in 2003. Written by experts in education and each specific art form, it provides teachers at all key stages with a valuable resource, demonstrating the importance of the arts in education and providing indicators for the identification and development of gifted and talented pupils. It is available as a word document to read here and is also available to download in acrobat reader.
School art: what's in it? Arts Council, Tate Galleries and NFER research project. See NFER Bookshop

Key organisations

• The National Society for Education in Art and Design (http://www.nsead.org/home/index.aspx)
• Arts Council England (http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/)
• Creative Partnerships (http://www.creative-partnerships.com/)
• London Schools Arts Advisory Service (http://www.lonsas.org.uk/)

Key events

Children's Art day: 29 June and 1 - 2 July

Children's Art Day is a UK-wide celebration and will receive both local and national publicity. It was set up as part of the Artworks programme run by the Clore Duffield Foundation. The day will provide opportunities for hundreds of children around the UK to get involved in art projects and activities organised by galleries, art centres, museums, schools and other organisations. Some events will be for specific school classes and other groups from formal or informal learning settings, but others will be open to members of the public including family groups. http://www.engage.org/projects/artworks.aspx

Key Awards
	The Chrisi Bailey Award. http://thechrisibaileyaward.org.uk/frameset/index.htm The National Children's Media Arts Award, highlights some of the most extraordinary educational work with children using photography, digital arts, video and animation.
	The Artist Teacher Scheme. http://www.nsead.org/cpd/ats.aspx The scheme enables teachers and lecturers to develop their own creative practice.
	Artworks http://www.art-works.org.uk/ The Artworks annual awards reward inspiring teaching in art and design. They aim to: motivate and support teachers to develop ambitious and inventive teaching in art and design; increase opportunities for children and young people to be inspired and challenged through learning about art and design; endorse the role that galleries and artists can play in the provision of high quality art and design education.
	Arts Award http://www.artsaward.org.uk/ This new award was launched in autumn 2005 by Arts Council England and DCMS. The Arts Award is the first award scheme to recognise the development of young artists and young arts leaders. It celebrates the creative progress made by young people and not just their artistic skill. The award is for young people aged 11 to 25. Particpants can choose their art form and make their own plans, including improving skills, seeing the work of other artists and running an arts project. Students share their work with other people by recording what they do. For more information and details of how to take part visit the website.